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Meditations on Crime
Simon, Harper. Los Angeles: Hat & Beard Press, 2023. 9 in. x 12.25 in., 352 p. New.
“Everyone is fascinated by crime,” says Harper Simon. “When you look at the history of song, romantic love songs may be the dominant mode of songwriting, but second would probably be songs involving crime—murder ballads for one. Crime is a major theme in all songwriting.”
Simon offers a new and expansive contribution to this legacy with Meditations on Crime, an ambitious multi-media project that includes an album he produced of musical collaborations with a sweeping range of contributors (Julia Holter, Gang Gang Dance, King Khan, the Sun Ra Arkestra) and a book he edited featuring essays by such notables as Miranda July, Hooman Majd, and Jerry Stahl, alongside artwork from giants like Cindy Sherman, Tracey Emin, Julian Schnabel, and Raymond Pettibon.
The genesis of Meditations on Crime came in 2016 as a confluence of several ideas. Simon was interested in collaborating with musicians he knew and admired on the creation of a vinyl LP with an accompanying book, which would be “a beautiful physical object to stand outside the digital world.” Given what America was going through during that particular election year, though, he thought the times called for something more politically charged.
“I was trying to come up with a collective, curated project that had political content, but wouldn’t be so obvious and agenda-driven,” says Simon. Something “that would give people the freedom to express some ideas that might meet that volatile period in culture and in politics. One of the titles I came up with was Meditations on Crime—if you get down to it, crime is politics and politics is crime, so crime can go a lot of different ways. It seemed to be a way of approaching the moment that was a little more subtle and left space to explore.”
The songs were developed in a variety of ways: Sometimes Simon sent his collaborators guitar tracks or demos he was working on and had them write over them, sometimes he collaborated on lyrics. On the Sun Ra Arkestra track, he composed melodic themes and went to the group’s home base of Philadelphia with the legendary producer Hal Willner, where they fleshed out two songs. (Willner passed away in 2020 from Covid. “To have that creative moment with him makes it really touching for me,” says Simon.)
“Since I wasn’t out in front singing, it freed me up to go into a lot of different styles and genres that I wouldn’t attempt on a solo project,” says Simon. “It was liberating and fun—that was part of what I wanted to do, and it turned out to be gratifying in all sorts of ways.”
As he reached out to more musicians (“I kind of just went with my gut, and one person led to the next”), he retained a consistent backing band for most of the tracks, allowing for some cohesion. He played most of the guitars, with Paz Lenchantin from the Pixies on bass and Carla Azar, who has played with everyone from Jack White to PJ Harvey to The Who, on drums, as well as members of Ariel Pink’s band and Nick Zinner from the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s.
For the book, Simon points to “On Crime,” the essay by Nigerian novelist and poet Ben Okri, as a central piece. “It almost felt like an introduction because it was so philosophical,” he says. “It set the tone. The book started to become less political and more interesting. Once the tone was set, you could go to this beautiful essay on war crimes by Janine di Giovanni, the famous foreign correspondent. You could see it go to a humorous place in a piece by Jerry Stahl or an interview with Kenneth Anger. Wayne Kramer from the MC5 has a foundation called Jail Guitar Doors that brings musical instruments and songwriting to prisoners, and has spent time in prison himself, so I thought he would have an interesting perspective.”
Simon was committed to including visual art that investigated the idea of crime, so he enlisted his friend Jonah Freeman, from the art team Freeman-Lowe, as a co-curator. “He brought in a great deal of artists and really became my partner,” says Simon. “Julian Schnabel came on, Nate Lowman, Laurie Anderson, just so many great people. And then Jonah got Raymond Pettibon, who made this original portrait of John Dillinger, and we put that on the cover—which I loved, because I grew up listening to albums with Raymond Pettibon covers, like Black Flag and Sonic Youth.”
Though the concept sprang from Simon’s inspiration, he emphasizes the collaborative aspect of Meditations on Crime. “This is a counterculture project that integrates different areas of creativity into a collective effort,” he says. In the end, 38 artists contributed across the various media, three of whom remained part of the endeavor despite facing online controversies after their collaborations were recorded. “I made the decision not to cut them,” says Simon. “One of the reasons being that I think canceling, in quotes, is blacklisting, and blacklisting, in my view, is wrong whether it comes from the left or the right.”
Meditations on Crime is already expanding into other areas, as Simon and Freeman are completing a short film based on Okri’s essay, narrated by actress Katherine Waterston. There’s talk of possible art shows and benefit concerts in the future based around the theme.
“A lot of the old models of how things are done in the music world are becoming more and more obsolete and uninteresting,” says Simon. “Make an album and make an album cover and put it out and get a review in the music press and go on tour and make a poster—I don't know if it's just been exhausted creatively or made obsolete due to technology. It’s time to play with different ways of approaching how to put things out, and how to play with different areas of creativity and weave them together in new ways and create new models. I don't think people even have the language yet to know how to speak to this transitional moment in culture.”
“This project allowed me to explore different worlds other than the music world,” he says. “To have different platforms for different audiences, and to do a whole bunch of things that people don't normally do when they make an album.” 9781955125284 Inventory Number: I00230827 -
FRANK BOWLING: WORKS ON PAPER, 2009-2021
(BOWLING, FRANK). Pesenti, Allegra. Beverly Hills, CA: Marc Selwyn Fine Arts, 2022, I00221015. First Edition. 8 1/2 x 7 3/4", 68 pages. Hardbound. Artist Monograph. New/No Jacket - As Issued.
Over the past decade, Frank Bowling has enjoyed belated attention and celebration, including a major Tate Britain retrospective in 2019. Born in British Guyana in 1934, Bowling arrived in England in his late teens, and began his career at the Royal College of Art. During his time at the RCA, he studied alongside David Hockney and Peter Blake and became involved in the British Pop Movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Aided by a Guggenheim Fellowship, Bowling moved to New York in 1966. Following a solo exhibition at the Whitney in 1971 (in the same period as shows featuring Melvin Edwards, Jack Whitten, and Alma Thomas), Bowling met influential critic Clement Greenberg, who became a regular visitor to the artist’s studio and a major influence on his practice. With Greenberg’s advice and encouragement, any lingering doubts about his commitment to Modernism were abandoned, and Bowling began to progress further toward pure abstraction, removing all recognizable imagery to focus on process, materials and color. Bowling has developed a unique and virtuosic abstract style that combines aspects of American painterly abstraction with a treatment of light and space that consciously recollects the great English landscape painters Gainsborough, Turner and Constable. A brand new, pristine example of this lovely hardbound catalogue produced in conjunction with a 2022 Marc Selwyn Fine Art exhibition of works on paper.
979-8218032630 Inventory Number: I00221015 -
THE DOME BOOK - LIMITED EDITION FACSIMILE SIGNED BY ISIS AQUARIAN
(BROTHERHOOD OF THE SOURCE, THE). Aquarian, Isis. Brooklyn, NY: Sacred Bones Books, 2022. First Edition. 9 x 11 ½". Illustrated Wrappers. New.. 20pp, 20 color illustrations. Issued as an exceedingly limited edition by Sacred Bones Books in conjunction with their publication of "Family: The Source Family Scrapbook," "Dome Book" is a 9 x 11 ½" reproduction made from high resolution scans of the original Dome Book manuscript in the Source Family's archive housed as part of the University of California, Santa Barbara Library's American Religions Collection. This beautifully illustrated prospectus embodied Father Yod's grandiose-though-ultimately-unrealized vision for The Family's post-California communal life. It features detailed plans for a rustic, domed utopia they dreamed of building in Hawaii. The Family archivist Isis Aquarian said of the project "This was our dream: to live together, far away from the city and self-sufficient, able to offer others a healing retreat with a spa, a restaurant, and a nightclub." A brand new, most handsome example of this never before published document that quickly sold out and will not be reproduced again additionally.signed by Isis Aquarian in black ink on the rear cover. Inventory Number: E000SFDB
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A LIBRARY OF MISREMEMBERED BOOKS SIGNED BY AUTHOR MARINA LUZ
(LUZ, MARINA). Chronicle Books, 2021. 4 1/2" x 6", 96 pages. Hardbound. New. 9780847870646
PRE-ORDER NOW! Books will be signed by Ms. Luz at Arcana on 12/11/21 and will begin shipping the following week.
How do you find a book when you can't recall the title…or the author? This homage to a common reader's dilemma is a gift the booklover in your life won't soon forget.
Readers know all too well the comedy and tragedy of forgetting the name of a must-find book. Inspired by this torturous predicament, artist Marina Luz creates paintings of books based on the descriptions we use when we can't remember their titles—mining Internet book-search forums for the quirky, vague, and often hilarious language we come up with in these moments. This volume collects dozens of these imaginary books into a library all their own: Titles like "Cat, Possibly Named Henry," "It Was All a Dream," or "Something-Something, Beverly Hills" inspire dreaming up their contents, often as entertaining as trying to guess the real book behind them. A celebration of book love unlike any other, this petite book is a clever gift for bibliophiles that will spark knowing smiles.
Marina Luz is an award-winning illustrator whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Vice, and ProPublica, among other publications. She runs her illustration and design studio Honeylux out of Oakland, California. She found these descriptions during her own search for a forgotten book, Iceberg Shows Up Overnight in Front of Hotel.
Inventory Number: E00MLUZ
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ED TEMPLETON: CITY CONFESSIONS #2: LONDON
(TEMPLETON, ED). Templeton, Ed. Super Labo, 2021. 8 x 10 in., 64 pages. Stapled Pictorial Wrappers. Photography Monograph. As New./No Jacket - As Issued.
“City Confessions #2 London is a mostly recent study on the city of London. Although some photos in this book go back over 20 years, the majority were taken over the past decade on numerous trips. Since the mid 1990’s, once or twice a year I find myself in London for a few days or weeks at a time and end up on long walks shooting photos with my Leica. The pictures in this book were chosen to highlight a particular shade of London I have always found interesting, Moments of weariness, furtive glances and subtle gestures within a densely populated city center as the swarms of people perform the ceremony of getting through another day.” 978-4908512995 Inventory Number: I00210629 -
ED TEMPLETON: 2022 DEADBEAT CLUB WALL CALENDAR - SIGNED BY THE PHOTOGRAPHER
(TEMPLETON, ED). Deadbeat Club, 2021. 12 x 13 inches, 14 Pages, Wire-O Binding. Paperback. New.
For the annual Deadbeat Club Calendar, we called on our friend Ed and told him to have fun with it. What he designed is twelve glorious months of classic Templeton color washes, doodles, custom lettering and other personal touches to accompany some of your fave Tempster photos. Here's wishing you a happy, healthy and friend-filled 2022, from your buds Ed Templeton and Deadbeat Club. 978-1952523021 Inventory Number: I00211109 -
SITTIN' IN: JAZZ CLUBS OF THE 1940s AND 1950s - SIGNED BY AUTHOR JEFF GOLD
Gold, Jeff, Sonny Rollins, Quincy Jones, Robin Givhan, Jason Moran & Dan Morgenstern. New York: Harper Design, 2020. Later Printing. Oblong Small 4to. Boards in Illustrated Jacket. Music Monograph. As New/As New. 0-06-291470-7
"Sittin’ In: Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s" is a visual history of jazz clubs during these crucial decades when some of the greatest names in in the genre - Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson, and many others - were headlining acts across the country. In many of the clubs, black and white musicians played together and more significantly, people of all races gathered together to enjoy an evening’s entertainment. House photographers roamed the floor and for a dollar, took picture of patrons that were developed on site and could be taken home in a keepsake folder with the club’s name and logo.
"Sittin’ In" tells the story of the most popular club in these cities through striking images, first-hand anecdotes, true tales about the musicians who performed their unforgettable shows, notes on important music recorded live there, and more. All of this is supplemented by colorful club memorabilia, including posters, handbills, menus, branded matchbooks, and more. Inside you’ll also find exclusive, in-depth interviews conducted specifically for this book with the legendary Quincy Jones; legendary tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins; Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion critic Robin Givhan; artist, musician, and creative director of the Kennedy Center, Jason Moran; and Jazz critic Dan Morgenstern.
Gold surveys America’s jazz scene and its intersection with racism during segregation, focusing on three crucial regions: the East Coast (New York, Atlantic City, Boston, Washington, D.C.); the Midwest (Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, St. Louis, Kansas City); and the West Coast (Los Angeles, San Francisco). Its collection of ephemeral snapshots tells the story of an era that helped transform American life, beginning the move from traditional Dixieland jazz to bebop, from conservatism to the push for personal freedom.A brand new, most handsome example of the third printing of this vtal document with a striking custom bookplate designed and SIGNED by author Jeff Gold affixed to the front pastedown.
Inventory Number: E201122JGSI
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TEENAGE STYLES AND TRENDS 1967–71: A RETROSPECT
(BERRY, BURTON YOST) Berry, Burton Yost. Grafisches Centrum Cuno GmbH & Co., 2020. First Edition Thus 1/500. 9 x 12 in., 78 pages. Cloth in Pictorial Dust Jacket. Fashion Photography Monograph. Fine/Fine.
Originally privately printed in Switzerland a limited edition of three hundred copies in Switzerland, the photo book “Teenage Styles and Trends 1967–71: A Retrospect” by American diplomat and art collector Burton Yost Berry (1901-1985) drew little attention back in 1972. Close to fifty years later, though, it is a sought-after icon of early street photography, rare and expensive, not at last due to its being featured in Martin Parr’s & Gerry Badger’s “The Photobook: A History, Volume III.” A new reprint makes this gem of a photobook available again. Grafisches Centrum Cuno in Calbe / Germany digitized the original book, retouched it with an eye for detail, and printed it using latest Ultra HD technology – achieving brilliant images thanks to intelligent dot positioning and modulation. In terms of printing quality, the reprint may easily surpass the original of 1972. The English text remains untouched except for corrections of some smaller typos. The reprint’s dust jacket has a poster printed on the inside and the book has been printed in a limited edition of five hundred copies. A brand new, most handsome example of the now-unavailable 2020 re-publication (whose first edition is cited on page 80 of Martin Parr and Gerry Badger's "The Photobook: A History Volume III") of this quirky, highly sought-after rarity. 978-3935971980 Inventory Number: I00201221 -
LEWIS MILLER: FLOWER FLASH
(MILLER, LEWIS). Monacelli. 10 x 12 inches, 240 Pages. Hardbound. New/No Jacket - As Issued.
From Lewis Miller, the celebrated floral designer and “flower bandit” himself, an intimate and joyous behind-the-scenes look at his signature flower flashes as they introduced bright moments of natural beauty into the city when they were needed most.
Before dawn one morning in October 2016, renowned New York-based floral designer Lewis Miller stealthily arranged hundreds of brightly colored dahlias, carnations, and mums into a psychedelic halo around the John Lennon memorial in Central Park. The spontaneous floral installation was Miller’s gift to the city—an effort to spark joy during a difficult time. Nearly five years and more than ninety Flower Flashes later, these elaborate flower bombs—bursts of jubilant blooms in trash cans, over bus canopies, on construction sites and traffic medians—have brought moments of delight and wonder to countless New Yorkers and flower lovers everywhere, and earned Miller a following of dedicated fans and the nickname the “Flower Bandit.”
After New York City entered lockdown, Miller doubled down, creating Flower Flashes outside hospitals to express gratitude to frontline health workers and throughout the city to raise spirits. This gorgeous and poignant visual diary traces the phenomenon from the first, spontaneous Flower Flash to the even more profound installations of the pandemic through a kaleidoscopic collage of photos documenting the Flower Flashes, behind-the-scenes snapshots, Miller’s inspiration material, fan contributions, and more. 9781580935852 Inventory Number: I00211102 -
The Art of Ruth E. Carter: Costuming Black History and the Afrofuture, from Do the Right Thing to Black Panther - SIGNED
(CARTER, RUTH E.).. Chronicle. 8.4 x 0.85 x 11.35 inches. New.
Signed by the Artist. Ruth E. Carter is a living legend of costume design. For three decades, she has shaped the story of the Black experience on screen—from the ’80s streetwear of Do the Right Thing to the royal regalia of Coming 2 America. Her work on Marvel's Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever not only brought Afrofuturism to the mainstream, but also made her the first Black winner of an Oscar in costume design and the first Black woman to win two Academy Awards in any category. In 2021, she became the second-ever costume designer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In this definitive book, Carter shares her origins—recalling a trip to the sporting goods store with Spike Lee to outfit the School Daze cast and a transformative moment stepping inside history on the set of Steven Spielberg's Amistad. She recounts anecdotes from dressing the greats: Eddie Murphy, Samuel L. Jackson, Angela Bassett, Halle Berry, Chadwick Boseman, and many more. She describes the passion for history that inspired her period pieces—from Malcolm X to What's Love Got to Do With It—and her journey into Afrofuturism.
Carter's wisdom and stories are paired with deluxe visuals, including sketches, mood boards, and film stills. Danai Gurira, beloved for her portrayal of Okoye in Black Panther, has contributed a foreword. Fans will even get a glimpse behind the scenes of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
At its core, Carter's oeuvre celebrates Black heroes and sheroes, whether civil rights leaders or Wakandan warriors. She has brought the past to life and helped us imagine a brighter future. This book is sure to inspire the next generation of artists and storytellers. Inventory Number: I00230804 -
Leonora Carrington: Revelation
(CARRINGTON, LEONORA). Text by Carlos Martín, Stefan van Raay, Tere Arcq, Naja Rasmussen.. RM/FUNDACIÓN MAPFRE. 8.75 x 10.25 in. / 312 pgs . New.
The first overview in a decade of the dazzling Surrealist universe of Leonora Carrington—artist, author, occultist, feminist.
In recent years, the art and fiction of Surrealist painter and author Leonora Carrington have received much mainstream recognition, but—until now—there has been no authoritative overview of her work. Divided into 10 sections, Revelation introduces Carrington’s singular artistic universe, displaying an extensive array of her wide-ranging creations (including paintings, drawings and tapestries) and fusing a chronological narrative of her life with a study of the most prominent themes in her work—from her training and early influences in England and Florence to her contact with the Surrealists in Paris, through her time in Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche, her traumatic experiences in Spain, her immigration to New York and her new homeland in Mexico. Punctuating the reproductions are archival materials, book excerpts and documentary photographs. Inventory Number: I00230805